Things Time Cannot Erase
by ASweeterReason
Summary: Months after the Factory collapses, the STN-J recruits a new hunter to replace Robin and Amon. But are Amon and Robin really gone?


It was dark. Very dark. And warm. Warm because I was curled up in Amon's arms, and dark because of the rubble of the structure that was formerly the Factory fallen around us. I can Amon's heartbeat... what a pretty song. I'll tap it out with my fingers. Wait, I can't move my fingers. Whats wrong with me? Am I dead? No, I can't be dead. Not here... not in Amon's arms. I wouldn't feel this. This balance of pain and numbness... if I was dead. If I was dead, I would be...  
  
Where would I be?  
  
~  
  
"Ms. Diangealeno... is that how you pronounce that?" Kosaka glanced over the papers in his hand. The new hunter had arrived that morning, and he had decided it would be best if he got to truly know the girl who would be replacing... no, not replacing, temporarily filling in for Robin. Thats what Michael had said. He had been having a hard time believing that Amon and Robin were truly dead.  
  
"Oh, yes sir. I'm surprised you pronounced it correctly." The girl smiled. "Usually people just say Ms. Di."  
  
Kosaka chuckled. "I can see where that would certainly lessen the complications..." He glanced over her file again. "It doesn't list your first name... you do have one, right?"  
  
The girl paused. "No sir. Not officially. My parents never named me. They were... well... a bit eccentric. They believed that having a name binded you to the earth, and that no one should be bound to anyone or anything."  
  
"Do you have an initial you go by? A nickname maybe?"  
  
"Yes... it's an odd name, but my parents also believed that if you HAD to have a name, it should fit your inner being. So they named me War."  
  
"Thats quite a name..." Kosaka mumbled. He set the papers down, then looked at her pointedly. "War... may I call you that?"  
  
The girl nodded quickly.  
  
"War... you must understand now, before you meet the others... we 'lost' two of our most distinguished hunters in a horrible accident a few months ago. The wounds of some of the team... well, they have not healed." Kosaka cleared his throat, leaning back in his chair with his hands behind his head. "They may not accept you immediately. And they may never accept you fully. But you must remember... their loss is very great."  
  
The girl paused before saying, in a quiet voice, "And yours, sir?"  
  
His tone matched hers. "The same."  
  
~  
  
"...She looks completely different from Robin. Her hair is longer, and black. Her eyes are much deeper... from what I could tell. The Chief lead her away quickly." Michael was explaining to Dojima and Karasuma what their new huntress was like. "I bet she's louder too. Although I never heard her speak... she just looks that way."  
  
Karasuma sighed and sat down in the chair across from Michael. "I'm just afraid she can't do this job... I wonder if maybe... maybe we made a mistake, in calling out for another hunter."  
  
"Oh there there. We have to give her a chance first. Maybe she'll be fine! We just have to be nice." Dojima smiled. She masked her inner feelings well... she too believed that no one could replace Robin. Sure, no one had said those exact words. But thats what they were all feeling. "And if she's going to replace two hunters... then she must have good credits."  
  
Michael shrugged and slipped his earphones on. "Lets do a little research on her..." He proceeded to check recent HQ files... and nothing turned up. "That's odd... there's no mention of a new hunter."  
  
"You mean, no mention of a new hunter coming? Or no mention of who she is?" Karasuma leaned over to check the screen.  
  
"I mean, no mention of who she is. There are a few sentences about a new girl... but nothing else. No name, no nothing." Michael slid off his headphones and looked up quickly, as did Karasuma and Dojima. Kosaka had entered their office.  
  
"You guys... this is our new hunter. War." Kosaka stepped out of the way to present her. She stood, nervously looking at them. As Michael had said, she had elbow length black hair, and dark brown eyes. She wore more modern clothes, compared to those of Robin. A black t-shirt, black leggings, and a long black scarf around her neck.  
  
"Hi..." She waved to them all.  
  
Dojima grinned and waved back. "Hi! I'm Yurika Dojima."  
  
Karasuma offered her a polite smile. "Miho Karasuma. Pleased to meet you."  
  
"Michael..." Michael stood, taking a few steps toward her and offering his hand to her.  
  
"It's nice to meet you all. Really, it is." War took his hand. She seemed pleasantly surprised at his movements... and instantly took a liking to him.  
  
Michael smiled. This girl was nice... she was no Robin. But she was nice. And this might just work out for the best.  
  
~  
  
"Miho... I think I see him... there he is! Near the water fountain..." Dojima whispered urgently into her communitcator. They were on a hunt for a rather dangerous witch by the name of Osrar Mindalogi. This particular witch had been giving them trouble for a while now... and they needed to move on to other cases.   
  
"Ok... I see him too... move out now, Yurika..." Karasuma swiftly ran out from her place behind the bushes (they were in the park) to point her Orbo gun at the man. He snickered when he saw her. "So, you think that you can beat me? Just one of you? I'd love to see you..."  
  
Osrar was interrupted by the sounds of numerous gunshots going off. Within a few seconds, he was stumbling onto his knees, gasping for air. Karasuma looked upwards from the man to see Sakiki and Dojima, their guns raised, and eyes narrowed.  
  
Sakiki lowered his gun slowly. The man collapsed onto the ground... he was out cold.  
  
"Well. I think we've... done what we need to do." Dojima smiled sheepishly and did the same as Sakiki. "Can we go grab something to eat? I'm starving."  
  
Karasuma shook her head, smiling. "You really are quite a character, aren't you, Yurika?"  
  
"Mmm... I can just see it now... a big, juicy hamburger... no! Cheeseburger!" Dodojima grinned, sliding her gun down into the side of her boot. "C'mon, lets go guys..."  
  
Sakiki rolled his eyes, following down behind her as she walked out of the park. "Yeah yeah yeah..."  
  
"I'll be there in a second!" Karasuma watched them leave, then dialed into her communicator. "Michael? Are you there?"  
  
"Yeah... what is it?"  
  
"We got the guy. Send out for the Masuoleum."  
  
"Right... you think they're gonna work?"  
  
"Well... they appear better than the Factory..." Karasuma shuddered at the name.  
  
Michael paused. "What's your location?"  
  
"I'm in the park, near the fountain."  
  
Another pause. "They're on their way."  
  
"Thanks." Karasuma closed her communicator, then started off in the direction of the exit.  
  
~  
  
"So... what's your job here?" War sat on the edge of Michael's desk, watching him type frantically. He had gotten a lead on a new witch and wished to further explore it... but at the same time, he had to 'teach' this new hunter what had to be done around here.  
  
"I can hack into any system without an extremely high priced security system, find out information about new witches, and get things such as blueprints and histories for this organization." Michael explained patiently, glancing briefly up from his work to look at her.  
  
"Oh... that's a lot of work." War raised an eyebrow at him. "Didn't you mention earlier that you had been binded to this office, because you hacked into this data base?"  
  
"Yes... but not anymore. Now with Zaizen gone, I can come and go freely." Michael nodded slowly.  
  
"I see... must've been depressing, not being able to leave..." War glanced around the office. "Very depressing..."  
  
Michael smiled. "It was ok. I was surrounded by friends, so it didn't matter as much... one friend in particular helped me through a lot of things, without even knowing it..."   
  
War looked over at him interestedly. "Really? Was it... that girl? The one who..." She didn't continue, for she saw the way his face fell when she talked about Robin.  
  
"Yes." Michael answered, a little colder than before. "Hey, if you want to help around here, why don't you go see what you can do on a computer?"  
  
"I can't hack, if thats what you're saying." War chuckled. "I couldn't hack my way out of a paper bag."  
  
Michael looked over at her, cocking his head. "Can you... pour me a glass of coffee, then?"  
  
"Only if you show me around town tonight." War looked back at him.  
  
"Deal."  
  
"Creamer?"  
  
"Two sugars."  
  
"Can do."  
  
~  
  
A/N: So, what'd you think? I like where this story is going... please tell me if I should continue! Thanks! 


End file.
